Edward j



E. J. GILMORE.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man SEPT. 7. 191a.

Patented July 29, 1919.

Qwveutoz ZTJTG L'ZIICO/Q Till. IZOLUMBIA PLANOGRAI'II cu.. WASHINGTON.n.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J. GILMORE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAME APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

amusing game may be played by two, three,

or four layers, the playing of the game requiring the exercise ofjudgment so as to be more or less of educational value.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figur 1 is a plan view of the game board of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a View illustrating in perspective several of the game pieceswhich are to be moved by the players over the board.

The board is indicated in general by the reference numeral 1, and may beof wood, heavy card-board, metal, or of any other material suitable forthe purpose and either integral or made up of foldably connectedsections. Also the board may be of any desired dimensions.

The playing area of the board is divided, except for its centralportion, into a plural ity of playing spaces which, while in thedrawings are in the form of squares, may assume any other desiredoutline. These spaces are indicated in general by the numeral 2- and maybe defined by intersecting lines running parallel to the four edges ofthe playing field of the board or by broken lines as illustrated in thedrawings, which broken lines intersect at 3 at the corners of thesquares which they define. Certain of the spaces constitute entrancespaces and are indicated by the numeral 4, and each of these entrancespaces is located at one edge of the playing field and midway betweenthe ends of the said edge. In other words, there is an entrance space ateach of the four sides of the playing area. As stated above, the playingarea is divided into the spaces 2, but at its central portion there isprinted an objective or goal consisting of an inner square 5 and anouter square 6 inclosing the inner square, the outer square having eachof its sides interrupted as at 7 at a point midway between its ends toindicate an entrance to the goal. The entrances 7 to the goal are eachlocated opposite the entrance Specification of Letters Patent.

provided a number of Patented July 29, 1919.

' Application filed September 7, 1918. Serial No. 253,088.

pipzluie 4: at the respective side of the playing The playing area isdivided into four triangular players fields by barriers, and each fieldis bounded by one edge of the board having an entrance 4 at itsmidlength, and by two barriers converging to j a goal entrance 7 Toproduce the barriers, certain of the spaces 2 on the diagonal linesbetween the corners of the goal square 6 and the corners of the playingfield, are especially designated, as for example by circles 8, and thesespaces constitute safety zones as will be presently explained. The othersquares 2 along these diagonal lines are also especially designated bysome arbitrary design as for example a grille work, as indicated by thenumeral 9, to indicate that they are barred zones. In the arrangementillus trated in the drawings, the space at each cor ner of the fieldconstitutes one of the safety zones 8 and in the playing spacepreferably midway between this space and the corresponding corner of thegoal square 6 also constitutes a safety zone, the remaining spaces onthe diagonal line, being barred zones. The spaces at the opposite sidesof each entrance space 4 may be also designated to constitute barredzones, so as to define the entrance. Thus each field is separated fromthe fields next adjacent by two barriers, but each barrier has withinits length two spaces 8 which may constitute gates unless closed asdescribed below. If a gate is opened, the player may move out of his ownfield, but also the next player-may move in; hence the barrier may be.destroyed as such by vacating a zone 8.

In connection with the board there are ame pieces preferably in the formof dlsks 10, several of which are illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.There are preferably four sets of these game pieces, six in each set,those in each set bearing a distinctive color or design differing fromthose in the other sets. Moreover, the game pieces. of each set areseverally numbered from 1 to 6 inclusive as indicated by the numeral 11.

The game piece designated by the ordinal l is to be known as captain,and the remaining game pieces of each set are known as men. The playerstake turns in throwing dice and move only the game piece the ordinal ofwhich corresponds to the number play as partners againstthe other two.the game is playedby three, in order to equalize matters-the two playersadjacent .the vacant space must each give up a game .piece at thebeginning of the game. and-lose the game'is-to get any two pieces or thecaptain and one man belonging to the player into" the goal square 5.

. The game may be played by two, three or four persons as previouslyexplained, and

when played by fourany two players-may If their turn whenever the numberof that piece is thrown by them.

The barred zonesi) cannot be occupied or passed over at anytime, and thegame pieces occupying the safety zone spaces 8 cannot be ca'ptu'red.Game pieces, except the captains, are captured byj having a game pieceend itsmove on a play-ing'space occupied .byan pponents g'ame piece ofthe same or of a higher number, and when captured the captured piecemust be removed from the board. dinal 6 may be captured by any one ofan.

Thus a game piece bearing theoropponents game; pieces; a game piecebearing the ordinal 5 can be captured by .any

one of-an oooonents exce t that bearin the Z3 ordinal 6, etc. Thecaptains bearing the ordinal 1 cannot be captured. VVhen maka move aplayer is not permitted to pass ever or jump an opponents game piece.although this is permissible with his own game pieces, and whenpartners'are playing, either is permitted to pass; over ,anyof the game.pieces belongingto the other the same as over .hls own game p eces. Onlythe captain is permitted toenter the goal square from the side adjacentthe players starting space e-and the :other game pieces must enter thegoal square from one of the remaining three sides oi the square. w Toenter the goal square, the move of any piece must correfrom either twoor four squares iromthe starting position. Thus this particular gamepiece may be moved into the goal square, if not blocked, when eithertwo,

four, or six playing spaces away from-the goal square. If any game pieceis so blocked that itcannot bean-eyed the full number of spacesindi'catedby thethrow, the player loses his [turn andmustpermit the gamepiece to remain whcreit-is until he again throws tliatparticularnumberand the move of the game piece is not: blocked. A player he seeslit to pass and forfeit his play.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: g 1' 1.A game board having a square checkered playing area, a. goal at itscenter, four lines of checks radiating from said goal be ing specially designated and constituting barriers dividing said area into fourtriangular players fields, eachhaving an entrance to-said goal, andcertain checks in said; lines beingspecially designated differently fromthe others and constituting gates in the barriers.

The herein-described game comprising game pieces infour. distinctivesets; and a board having its area checkered by playing spaces, certainspaces at the center of the .area being marked to constitute agoal-havis'not obliged to move his indicated game vpiece but mayallow'thesameto remain 1f inlets at its four sides, diagonal rows ofspaces from the goal .to the edge of- .the area stitutingbarriers-dividing the area into four ind vidual players- ;fields, eachhaving an .en-

being specially desigmaited'as barred and contrance space opposite itsrespective goal -1nl'et,-and certain spaces in each of said rows beingdesignated vassa-fety zones and, when unoccupied, constituting gatesthrough the barriers, for the purpose A set forth.

In testimonywhe-reof I afliX mysignature.

EDWABD'J. GILMORE. [Ls] Copieszof this patentmay'be obtained for. fivecents each,.by' addressing .the"Commissi oner ,of Patents;

' Washington, .D. G.

